Deck board spacers and fixings

ABSTRACT

A spacer and fixing apparatus for deck boards on supporting timber joists or metal tracks has a track member with a fixing portion secured to the top face of the joist or metal track and a web portion pivotally supporting a plurality of spaced fixing members. Each fixing member has a fixing head with a pair of opposed fixing teeth or spikes. One of the fixing teeth or spikes is driven into the side face of a deck board placed on the joist or metal track; and the side face of a second deck board is driven into fixing engagement with the other fixing tooth or spike on the fixing head, the fixing head spacing the deck boards apart. To omit the track member, the body of each fixing member has a fixing tongue driven into a side face of a respective joist.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to deck board spacers and fixings.

The invention particularly relates, but is not limited to, a method of, and apparatus for, locating deck boards at desired spacing's and fixing the deck boards to the supporting joists.

Throughout the specification, the term “deck boards” shall also include floor boards, wall boards and ceiling boards (or the like); and the term “joists” shall include studs, rafters or like structural supports.

2. Prior Art

Typically, the deck boards of a deck, verandah or like structure, are fixed to the joists with a gap to allow rain or other water to pass through the gaps between the deck boards. By not allowing the rain to “pool” on the deck boards, the likelihood of a person slipping thereon is minimised.

The difficulty that arises is ensuring the deck boards are laid parallel, so that the gaps there-between are even, or the aesthetic appeal of the deck floor is reduced.

In addition, the deck boards may be slightly “bowed”, as they are often processed from timber not fully dried, or due to mishandling during storage/transport.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for spacing deck boards as they are laid/fixed to the supporting joists.

It is a preferred object to provide a spacer suitable for the method.

It is a further preferred object to provide a spacer which also provides the fixing of the deck boards to the joists.

Other preferred objects will become apparent from the following description.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect, the present invention resides in a method for spacing and fixing deck boards to supporting joists, including the steps of:

a) fixing a respective track member to extend along each of the joists, each track member having a plurality of fixing members pivotally mounted at substantially equal spacing's along the track member, and each fixing member having opposed fixing teeth or spikes;

b) placing a first deck board on the joists;

c) driving the respective fixing members on the track members to cause one of the fixing teeth or spikes of each fixing member into fixing engagement with an adjacent side face of the first deck board;

d) placing a second deck board on the joists adjacent each fixing member;

e) driving an adjacent side face of the second deck board into fixing engagement with the other of the fixing teeth or spikes of each fixing member; and

f) repeating steps b) to e) to sequentially space and fix the deck boards to the joists.

In a second aspect, the present invention resides in a method for spacing and fixing deck boards to supporting joists, including the steps of:

a) marking spaced fixing points along at least one side face of each of the joists;

b) driving fixing tongues on bodies of respective fixing members into the side faces of the joists at the spaced fixing points, each fixing member having opposed fixing teeth or spikes extending laterally to the fixing tongue;

c) placing a first deck board on the joists;

d) driving the respective fixing members to pivot about the fixing tongues to enable one of the fixing teeth or spikes of each fixing member be driven into fixing engagement with an adjacent side face of the first deck board;

e) placing a second deck board on the joists adjacent each fixing member;

f) driving an adjacent side face of the second deck board into fixing engagement with the other of the fixing teeth or spikes of each fixing member; and

g) repeating steps b) to f) to sequentially space and fix the deck boards to the joists.

Preferably, after steps d) or f), the bodies of the fixing members are non-rotatably fixed to the joists.

In a third aspect, the present invention resides in an apparatus for spacing and fixing deck boards to supporting joists, including:

a plurality of track members, each track member having an elongate body, with at least one flange or fixing portion to be fixed to a respective joist, and at least one web portion having holes therethrough at substantially equal spacing's; and

a plurality of fixing members, each fixing member having a body pivotally mounted at a respective hole and a fixing head with opposed fixing teeth or spikes; so arranged that:

the, or each, flange or fixing portion of the track member is fixable along a respective joist by a plurality of fasteners;

one of the fixing teeth or spikes of the fixing head is drivable into fixing engagement with an adjacent face of a first deck board placed on the joists; and

the other of the fixing teeth or spikes is arranged to fix ably engage an adjacent face of a second deck board driven into fixed engagement therewith.

Preferably, when the joist is a timber joist (preferably of rectangular cross-section); or a metal track (preferably of top-hat section with at least one vertical side face);

each track member is substantially L-shaped in end view, with the flange or fixing portion fixed to a top face of the joist or metal track, and the web portion lying adjacent a side face of the joist or metal track.

In a fourth aspect, the present invention resides in an apparatus for spacing and fixing deck boards to supporting joists, including:

a plurality of fixing members;

each fixing member having a body with a fixing tongue, and a fixing head, the fixing head having opposed fixing teeth or spikes, and the fixing head extending laterally to the fixing tongue, so arranged that:

the fixing tongue is drivable into engagement with a side face of one of the joists;

one of the fixing teeth or spikes of the fixing head is drivable into fixing engagement with an adjacent face of a first deck board placed on the joists; and

the other of the fixing teeth or spikes is arranged to fix ably engage an adjacent face of a second deck board driven into fixed engagement therewith

Preferably, the body of each fixing member is substantially planar, with a pivot pin, or fixing tongue, extending laterally, preferably centrally, from one face of the body.

Preferably, the fixing head is connected to the body by a neck portion, and the fixing teeth or spikes extend laterally there-from, with longitudinal axes substantially parallel to the plane of the body.

Preferably, the fixing teeth or spikes are downwardly curved from the neck portion in front elevational view.

Preferably, at least one hole is provided in the body of the fixing member to receive a fastener to non-rotatably secure the body to the side faceoff the joist or to the web portion of the track member.

Preferably, the track member is extruded from plastics-material, which may be fibre-reinforced; the metal track is roll-formed from stainless steel strip; and the fixing members are punched from stainless steel sheet.

In a fifth aspect, the present invention resides in a spacer for deck boards placed on supporting joists, the spacer including:

-   -   a body of substantially inverted U-shape in front elevation         view, with a pair of legs interconnected by a web member;

a respective inwardly directed flange at a junction of one of the legs and the web member; and

a respective support flange at the junction of one of the legs and the web member, extending transversely to the web member;

so arranged that the legs and inwardly directed flanges locate the body on one of the joists substantially transverse thereto;

the support flanges support adjacent deck boards having respective side faces engaged with, and spaced by, the web portion; and

-   -   the adjacent deck boards lock the spacer against release from         the joist.

Preferably, distal ends of the legs have outwardly-directed extensions to assist engagement of the joist between the legs.

Preferably, the legs are convergent in front elevation view, and are deflected outwardly on engagement with the joist.

Preferably, the body is injection-moulded formed from resiliently-deformable plastics-material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To enable the invention to be fully understood, preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional end view showing the securing of boards to supporting timber floor joists;

FIG. 2 is a schematic isometric view of a metal track as an alternative to the timber floor joists;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the metal track of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a plastic track member on which the fixing members are pivotally mounted;

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of the plastic track member of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a first embodiment of a fixing member used to secure the boards;

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the fixing member of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the fixing member;

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the fixing member;

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the fixing member;

FIGS. 11 and 12 are respective enlarged views of the detail at A and B on FIG. 8;

FIGS. 13 to 16 are views corresponding to FIGS. 6 to 9, of a second embodiment of the fixing member;

FIG. 17 is an enlarged view of the detail at C on FIG. 6;

FIG. 18 is an isometric view of one corner of the deck when the deck boards have been laid;

FIG. 19 is a front elevational view of a stainless steel blank for a bracket to enable concealed fixing of the first and last deck boards;

FIG. 20 is an isometric view of the bracket;

FIGS. 21 and 22 are respective isometric views of a spacer for the boards;

FIGS. 23 and 24 are respective top plan and side elevational views of the spacer;

FIGS. 25 and 26 are front elevational views of the spacer as manufactured and when in use; and

FIG. 27 is a sectional view taken on line A-A on FIG. 25.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, a plurality of deck boards 10 are supported on parallel, spaced timber joists 20, and are secured thereto by the spacing and fixing system 30 of the present invention to be hereinafter described.

Alternatively, the deck boards 10 are supported by parallel metal tracks 120, illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, roll-formed from stainless steel strip.

Each metal track 120 has vertical upper side wall portions 121, 122 interconnected by a horizontal top web 123. Outwardly- divergent lower side wall portions 124, 125 interconnect the upper side wall portions 121, 122 to respective horizontal flanges 126, 127, which are provided with spaced holes 128, 129 to enable the met al track 120 to be fixed to a supporting structure.

The spacing and fixing system 30 includes an inverted-L shaped track member 40 extruded from suitable plastics-material, which may be fibre-reinforced.

The track member 40 has a horizontal flange 41 provided with spaced holes (not shown) for fixing to the top face of the timber joist 20, or the top web 123 of the metal track 120, along which the track member 40 is laid. The vertical web 42 is provided with equally spaced holes 43, and the vertical web 42 is spaced a small distance from the adjacent side face 21 of the timber joist 20 or the upper side wall portions 121, 122 of the metal track 120. The 120. The skilled addressee will appreciate that the horizontal flange 41 is “clamped” between the bottom faces 11 of the deck boards 10 and the top face of the timber joist 20 or top web 123 of the metal track 120.

The deck boards 10 are secured to the respective track members 40, and thereby the timber joists 20 or metal tracks 120, by a plurality of fixing members 50, 150, which are included in the spacing and fixing system 30.

Referring to FIGS. 6 to 12, the fixing member 50 of the first embodiment is formed from stainless steel sheet e.g. by punching/forming, and has a planar (substantially circular) body 51 connected to a fixing head 52 by a neck portion 53.

A pivot pin 54, integral with the body 51, extends substantially laterally to the centre of the body 51; while a pair of holes 55 is provided through the body 51.

As illustrated at FIG. 11, a crease 54A may be provided on the pivot pin 54 to provide a “bend-line” to enable the distal end of the pivot pin 54 to be bent downwardly to prevent the pivot pin 54 being released from the hole 43 on the track member 40.

The neck portion 53 has a reinforcing deformation 56 to resisting flexing or bending of the neck portion 53.

The fixing head 52 is downwardly curved in front elevational view and is terminated by opposed fixing teeth or spikes 57, 58, with longitudinal axes lying parallel to the planar body 51.

An inverted L-shaped spacing head 59 is provided on the fixing head 52, spaced from the neck portion 53, to limit the distance the fixing teeth or spikes 57, 58 can be driven into the adjacent side faces 12, 13 of the deck boards 10.

Referring to FIGS. 13 to 17, the fixing member 150 of a second embodiment has an elongate planar body 151, with a neck portion 153, fixing head 152 (and fixing teeth or spikes 157, 158), pivot pin 154, and spacing head 159, substantially as herein before described for the fixing member 50 of the first embodiment. The planar body 151 has a single hole 155 therethrough.

The track members 40 are fitted with either the fixing members 50, 150 having their pivot pins 54, 154 received in the holes 43 along the length of the track members 40.

In use, the track members 40 are laid along, and fixed to, respective parallel timber joists 20 or metal tracks 120.

The first deck board 10 is laid at, or adjacent, one end of the timber joists 20 or metal tracks 120 and is secured thereto by suitable fasteners e.g. nails or screws (not shown). One side face 12 of the first deck board 10 is horizontally offset from the first hole 43 in each of the track members 40.

The installer rotates the fixing member 50, 150 relative to the track member 40 until the fixing tooth or spike 57, 157 engages the side face 12 of the deck board 10.

Using a hammer, or similar impact tool, the installer drives the fixing tooth or spike 57 into the side face 12 until the latter is engaged by the spacing head 59, 159.

The installer progressively moves along the deck board 10 until all the fixing members 50, 150 have been driven into engagement with the side face 12 of the first deck board 10.

The installer lays a second deck board 10 across the timber joists 20 or metal tracks 120, with the side face 11 adjacent the fixing members 50, 150. Using a rubber mallet, or a hammer and piece of timber, the installer strikes the other side face 12 of the second deck board 10 to drive the first side face 11 onto fixing engagement with the fixing tooth or spike 58, 158 of the first fixing member 50, 150; and progressively moves along the second deck board 10 until it is secured to the timber joists 20 or metal tracks 120.

The spacing heads 58, 158 on the fixing members 50, 150 ensure the adjacent side faces 11, 12 of the deck boards 10 are correctly spaced.

The procedure is repeated until all the deck boards 10 have been secured to the timber joists 20 or metal tracks 120.

FIG. 18 is an isometric view of one corner of the deck D, when all the deck boards 10 have been laid on, and secured to, the timber joists 20, using the fixing members 50 illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 12.

To enable concealed fixing of the first and last deck boards 10, stainless steel brackets 60 may be used, as shown in FIG. 18.

Each bracket 60 has a substantially-L-shaped body 61 (in side view) formed (e.g. by punching from a strip of stainless steel) to form a planar blank 62 with upper- and lower-holes 63, 64. The body 61 is formed by bending the blank 62 about a bend-line 65, so that the body 61 has a leg 66 and foot 67 with the respective holes 63, 64.

Before the first deck board 10 is placed on the timber joist 20, the foot 67 of the bracket 60 is secured by screws through the lower-holes 64.

The side face 11 is located adjacent the leg 66 of the bracket 60 and is secured thereto by screws through the upper-holes 63.

By employing the brackets 60 to secure the fists and last deck boards 10 to the timber joists 20, no screws or other fixings extend through those boards, to both improve the aesthetic appeal and minimise water passing down through the deck boards 10 around the screws or fixings.

In an alternative embodiment, the track member 40 may be omitted, and the pivot pins 54, 154 of the fixing members 50, 150 substituted by fixing tongues, being tapered to a driving point in top plan view.

The installer draws a line along a side face 21 of the joist 20 e.g. 15 mm (⅝″) from the top face of the joist 20, and marks fixing points at equal spacing's along the line e.g. at the same spacing's as between the holes 43 along the track member 40. (The spacing between the fixing points=width of the deck boards+spacing between the adjacent deck boards. Typically the spacing between the deck boards 10 is 6 mm (¼″)).

The installer aligns the driving tip of a fixing tongue 54, 154 with the marked fixing point, with the neck portion 53, 153 “tilted” so that the fixing tooth 57, 157 adjacent the side face 12 of the first deck board 10, by and striking the body 51, 151 of the fixing member 50, 150 with a hammer or mallet, drives the fixing tongue 54, 154 into side face 21 of the joist 20.

The installer strikes the fixing member 50, 150 to “pivot” about, or “twist” the fixing tongue 54, 154, so that the fixing tooth 57 is driven into engagement with the side face 12 of the first deck board 10.

The second deck board 10 is laid on the joists 20 and secured as hereinbefore described.

To prevent the bodies 51, 151 of the fixing members 50, 150 moving relative to the joists 20, stainless steel nails are driven through the holes 55, 155 in the bodies 51, 151.

FIGS. 21 to 27 illustrate a deck board spacer 70 which may be used where the deck boards are to be secured to the timber joists 20 by separated fixing members (not shown).

The spacer 70 is injection-moulded from suitable plastics-material, and has a web member 71 interconnecting legs 72, 73, which are downwardly convergent—see FIG. 25.

An inwardly-directed flange 74, 75 is provided at the junction of the web member 71 and legs 72, 73 to rest on the top face 23 of the timber joist 20.

A pair of support flanges 76, 77 extend transversely to the (outer-side of the) junction of the web member 71 and legs 72, 73 to support the adjacent side edges of the deck boards 10 spaced by the spacer 70.

External ribs 78, 79 are provided on the legs 72, 73, while the distal ends of the legs 72, 73 have outwardly-directed extensions 80, 81.

As illustrated in FIGS. 21, 22 and 25, the spacer 70 is moulded with the legs 72, 73 being downwardly convergent.

In use, respective spacers 70 are fitted to the joists 20 as illustrated in FIG. 26, and the first deck board is laid across the joists 20, with one side edge supported by the underlying portions of the support flanges 76, 77 of the spacer, and the side face 12 is brought into engagement with the web members 71 of the aligned spacers 70.

The second deck board 10 is placed adjacent the spacers 70 and the side edge thereof is supported by the underlying portions of the support flanges 76, 77.

The side face 11 of the second deck board 10 is brought into engagement with the web members 71 of the spacers 70 to ensure correct spacing from the first deck board 10.

The support flanges 76, 77 secure the spacers 70 against removal from the joists 20 once the second deck board 10 has been laid and located at the correct spacing.

The cycle of fitting the spacers 70 to the joists 20, and spacing the deck boards 10 laid on the joists 20, is repeated until the deck floor is completed.

The skilled addressee will appreciate that the present invention provides a simple, relatively inexpensive, efficient method of, and apparatus for, the spacing, or spacing- and fixing, of deck boards to a supporting structure.

By manufacturing the track members from plastics-material and the fixing members (and, if used, the metal tracks) from stainless steel, the system is not liable to corrosion.

The embodiments described and illustrated are by way of preferred examples only and are not limiting to the invention. (Furthermore, any annotations, including dimensions, on the drawings are by way of example only, and are also not limiting to the scope of the invention.) 

1. A method for spacing and fixing deck boards to supporting joists, including the steps of: a) fixing a respective track member to extend along each of the joists, each track member having a plurality of fixing members pivotally mounted at substantially equal spacing's along the track member, and each fixing member having opposed fixing teeth or spikes; b) placing a first deck board on the joists; c) driving the respective fixing members on the track members to cause one of the fixing teeth or spikes of each fixing member into fixing engagement with an adjacent side face of the first deck board; d) placing a second deck board on the joists adjacent each fixing member; e) driving an adjacent side face of the second deck board into fixing engagement with the other of the fixing teeth or spikes of each fixing member; and f) repeating steps b) to e) to sequentially space and fix the deck boards to the joists.
 2. A method for spacing and fixing deck boards to supporting joists, including the steps of: a) marking spaced fixing points along at least one side face of each of the joists; b) driving fixing tongues on bodies of respective fixing members into the side faces of the joists at the spaced fixing points, each fixing member having opposed fixing teeth or spikes extending laterally to the fixing tongue; c) placing a first deck board on the joists; d) driving the respective fixing members to pivot about the fixing tongues to enable one of the fixing teeth or spikes of each fixing member be driven into fixing engagement with an adjacent side face of the first deck board; e) placing a second deck board on the joists adjacent each fixing member; f) driving an adjacent side face of the second deck board into fixing engagement with the other of the fixing teeth or spikes of each fixing member; and g) repeating steps b) to f) to sequentially space and fix the deck boards to the joists.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein: after steps d) or f), the bodies of the fixing members are non-rotatably fixed to the joists.
 4. An apparatus for spacing and fixing deck boards to supporting joists, including: a plurality of track members, each track member having an elongate body, with at least one flange or fixing portion to be fixed to a respective joist, and at least one web portion having holes therethrough at substantially equal spacing's; and a plurality of fixing members, each fixing member having a body pivotally mounted at a respective hole and a fixing head with opposed fixing teeth or spikes; so arranged that: the, or each, flange or fixing portion of the track member is fixable along a respective joist by a plurality of fasteners; one of the fixing teeth or spikes of the fixing head is drivable into fixing engagement with an adjacent face of a first deck board placed on the joists; and the other of the fixing teeth or spikes is arranged to fix ably engage an adjacent face of a second deck board driven into fixed engagement therewith.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein: the joist is a timber joist of rectangular cross-section; or is a metal track of top-hat section with at least one vertical side face; each track member is substantially L-shaped in end view, with the flange or fixing portion fixed to a top face of the joist or metal track, and the web web portion lying adjacent a side face of the joist or metal track.
 6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein: the body of each fixing member is substantially planar, with a pivot pin, or fixing tongue, extending laterally, optionally centrally, from one face of the body.
 7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein: the fixing head is connected to the body by a neck portion; and the fixing teeth or spikes extend laterally there-from, with longitudinal axes substantially parallel to the plane of the body.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein: the fixing teeth or spikes are downwardly curved from the neck portion in front elevational view.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein: at least one hole is provided in the body of the fixing member to receive a fastener to non-rotatably secure the body to the web portion of the track member.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: the track member is extruded from plastics-material or fibre-reinforced plastics-material; and the fixing members are punched or formed from stainless steel sheet.
 12. An apparatus for spacing and fixing deck boards to supporting joists, including: a plurality of fixing members; each fixing member having a body with a fixing tongue, and a fixing head, the fixing head having opposed fixing teeth or spikes, and the fixing head extending laterally to the fixing tongue, so arranged that: the fixing tongue is drivable into engagement with a side face of one of the joists; one of the fixing teeth or spikes of the fixing head is drivable into fixing engagement with an adjacent face of a first deck board placed on the joists; and the other of the fixing teeth or spikes is arranged to fix ably engage an adjacent face of a second deck board driven into fixed engagement therewith
 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein: the body of each fixing member is substantially planar, with a pivot pin, or fixing tongue, extending laterally, optionally centrally, from one face of the body.
 14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein: the fixing head is connected to the body by a neck portion; and the fixing teeth or spikes extend laterally there-from, with longitudinal axes substantially parallel to the plane of the body.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein: the fixing teeth or spikes are downwardly curved from the neck portion in front elevational view.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein: at least one hole is provided in the body of the fixing member to receive a fastener to non-rotatably secure the body to the web portion of the track member.
 17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein: the track member is extruded from plastics-material or fibre-reinforced plastics-material; and the fixing members are punched or formed from stainless steel sheet.
 18. A spacer for deck boards placed on supporting joists, the spacer including: a body of substantially inverted U-shape in front elevation view, with a pair of legs interconnected by a web member; a respective inwardly directed flange at a junction of one of the legs and the web member; and a respective support flange at the junction of one of the legs and the web member, extending transversely to the web member; so arranged that the legs and inwardly directed flanges locate the body on one of the joists substantially transverse thereto; the support flanges support adjacent deck boards having respective side faces engaged with, and spaced by, the web portion; and the adjacent deck boards lock the spacer against release from the joist.
 19. The spacer of claim 18, wherein: distal ends of the legs has outwardly-directed extensions to assist engagement of the joist between the legs.
 20. The spacer of claim 19, wherein: the legs are convergent in front elevation view, and are deflected outwardly on engagement with the joist; and the body is injection-moulded formed from resiliently-deformable plastics-material. 